Radiator testing apparatus



Aug- 21, 1951 D. l.. BLOCK 2,565,119

RADIATOR TESTING APPARATUS Filed April 22, 1949 l l Ik, l l

INVENTOR. aVL'eZac.

)Maw Jil/M ATTO/PNEX Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RADIATOR TESTING APPARATUS David L. Block, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application April 22, 1949, Serial No. 88,930

l1 Claim.

My invention is an improvement in testing apparatus, and more especially apparatus for testing the radiators of internal combustion engines to detect possible leaks.

It is Well known that internal combustion engines in use today upon motor vehicles and for other purposes utilize water for removing a great part of the heat of operation and keeping the temperature of the engine within safe limits. The radiator must therefore be entirely leakproof when installed. An important object of my invention is to provide a testing device of simple and inexpensive construction, but fully capable of testing the core of a radiator quickly and with certainty, to enable the builder to see that it is tight at all points before it is connected to the engine at the inlet and outlet openings of the cooling jacket thereof.

The nature and advantages of the invention are made clear in the following description. and the novel features are set forth in the claim. The disclosure, however, is explanatory only; and I may make changes in details without departing from the general design in which the invention resides.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view of testing apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section; and

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The device comprises an upper head I having an air inlet nipple 2, and a lower head 3. On the upper face of the head 3 is a sheet or block of rubber II having in its outer face an elongated cavity or recess 5, into which the bottom of the radiator core, indicated diagrammaticallv in broken lines at B, is inserted. 'Ihe two heads are joined by connecting means such as rods 'I.

In the lower side of the upper head is a similar block of rubber 8 having a cavity 9, matchingr the cavity 5 in size and shape. This cavity receives the upper end of the core E. This cavitx7 receives air under pressure from a source connected to the nipple 2; through a duct I Il in the block I leading to the nipple 2. Therubber parts 4 are held in place upon the heads I and 3 by strips II and wider strips I2 along the sides of the rubber blocks; the strips I2 overlapping the strips I I along their inner edges and the adjacent edges of the rubber blocks to secure the blocks to the head. The strips II and I2 are fastened to the heads by nails or the like I3.

The rubber blocks are thus made fast to the heads I and 3 and the cavities or slots 5 and 9 are wide enough to suit the thickness of the core 6. The top and bottom flanges I4 of the core press rmly upon the rubber blocks around the edges of the cavities 5 and 9 and seal the core in the rubber all around the cavities in the blocks I and 3.

The tie rods pass through openings in the lower head and receive fastening elements or nuts I5 on their lower ends. The upper ends of the rods go through openings in the upper head and are encircled by sleeves I6 above the top head I. On the ends above the sleeves I3 are holding nuts I 5.

In operation the core 6 is put between the headers I and 3 and made tight by the rods 1 and nuts I5 thereon. The ends of the core are now enclosed and sealed by the rubber plates or blocks 4 and 8; the ends of the core projecting into the spaces 5 and 9. The core is next immersed in a tank of water and air under pressure of not over 15 Ypounds per inch is admitted through the nipple 2. The ducts through the core being closed in at both upper and lower ends by the rubber parts 4 and 9, any air that escapes must therefore come out at some point between the ends. Hence, if the core is not leakproof, there will be air bubbles visible at points where the air escapes into the water, and the leaks will thus be located. If no bubbles appear, the operator then knows that the core is perfect and needs no further attention.

The cavities 5 and 9 are of constant width and this width can be selected to suit standard cores of different thickness. Cores vary in breadth however, and for this reason small pieces of rubber II are thrust into the cavities 5 and 9 and near the ends to regulate the effective length thereof. The pieces II iit the cavities tightly and can be shifted as required. The top and bottom anges I4 of the core press at the sides of the core on the pieces I'I hard enough to prevent leakage of air from the cavities where the pieces I1 are set. The core is thus sealed in place all around the upper and lower ends till the testing is completed and the tie rods loosened.

The apparatus is therefore simple and ecient, and well adapted to serve the intended purpose. The heads I and 3 and the rods I constitute a framework which encloses the core 6 during test and facilitates lifting the core. For this purpose the sleeves I6 serve as convenient handles.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

Testing apparatus comprising a pair of elongated headers, sheets of compressible material on the opposing faces of said headers, each of said sheets having an elongated cavity to receive the end of an object to be tested, one header having an air inlet for said cavity, the opposite end of said object being engaged by the sheet on the other header, strips extending along theedges of said headers and flush with the surfaces of said material, strips superposed on the first strips and overlapping said material, fastening devices for securing said strips to said headers, pieces .of com pressible material in said cavities, and having a thickness corresponding to the Width of each cavity, and a height corresponding to the depth thereof, said pieces being shiftably disposed in 4 said cavities to adjust the eective length of the same, and tie rods uniting said headers.

DAVID L. BLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

